Project Bag

Every now and then, for no reason whatsoever, I like to give myself a challenge! Most recently it came in the guise of a project bag in the shape of a cube. I knew exactly how I wanted it to look, and I set about coming up with a design and pattern.

There was some sketching, and lots of paper got cut up and then sticky taped back together, all in the name of inventing.

I didn’t get any photos of that though.

I did get photos of the cute fabric once it arrived via the magic of the internet!

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Himself was most perplexed about the shapes I was cutting out until he saw the whole lot together!

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Obviously, there was also enough fabric left over for a notions pouch as well!

And here it is in action, on the street!

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My yarn is nestled in there all cozy and warm and safe from … what ever may feel like attacking yarn really.

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Let’s go with “cats”.

A Story

The Gathering

With the blossoms blooming on the trees, the new year has begun. It is time for the Gnomes to come together once more.

They gather at the toadstool.

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Arriving together,

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And separately.

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They dance Ring Around the Toadstool,

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And all fall down.

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Then they travel,

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To the Great Pukeko,

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For story time.

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Back at the toadstool elections are held,

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And a leader is chosen for the coming year.

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At the end of the day they head back home to their families.

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Fin

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Organisation

I have been getting organised. I know! Me! Who’d have thought?! But in spite of myself, I am working hard at a great purge of the household and its surplus items. Mainly because we have too many to fit within these walls, and I want to simplify my/our lifestyle. (Yes, Himself is in on the kick too.)

We have a great wall of things growing to go to Vinnies, and what seems to be an even greater mound out the back that will require a skip of some sort to remove it all. Yesterday I sorted and filed a stack of papers that was a foot high!

It’s very cleansing. The feeling of a great weight lifting as you realise that you don’t need these things that you’ve been hanging on to for all these years (moving with you with each consecutive move, taking up space in the moving vans and therefore costing you money…)

I have a wonderful theory that with all these extraneous distractions removed, I’ll have time to do all the other things I haven’t had time to do so far! Isn’t that a wonderful theory? I love theories! *grins*

Anyway; all of this leads to very boring photography. So here’s where I’m up to with knitting. I’m making the Crown Prince Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia.

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There are 7 of those crosses around the boarder. I’m using Filatura di Crosa Centlovaggi which is a cobweb weight yarn, on 3.5mm KnitPicks circulars.

Why I decided more nupps were in my future I’m not exactly sure. But it should be a stunning piece when completed! I may think about entering it in the Royal Easter Show for 2012 if the world doesn’t end!

Nupps in Silk

I powered my way through the Percy Shawl as I really wanted to be able to post it to it’s intended recipient as soon as possible. For no other reason than I really want to give it to her.

Because I can, here is Percy in photos!

Finishing

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It always impresses me just how much lace needs to be blocked, and how little stitch definition you get before blocking.

Off the needles.

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Soaking

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All pinned out.

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I feel terribly bad for having no posts lined up for last week when I suddenly got busy. I’ll try and do better in the future I promise!

Percy Shawl

I have begun this shawl once before, though never finished it. I just never got my needles in the right groove. So it sat there for an incredibly long time, languishing at the bottom of the yarn pile.

But I pulled it out, ripped it back to the beginning and began again last week. A couple of nights effort and I had already done eight repeats of the first of three charts.

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It’s in 100% Mulberry Silk from Fibreworks. I think the colourway was Sarsparilla …

There has also been work on the Amaryllis Mittens.

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All that I have left to do is attach the thumbs! So close!

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